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Listserv Subscriber FAQ

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When the instructions below indicate to use listname, use the first part of the list with which you want to interact.  For example, the listname for bookclub@listserv.ubalt.edu is bookclub.

  • How do I find out what lists are available?

    Public lists are posted on the LISTSERV web page.

  • How do I subscribe to a list?

    You can subscribe to a public or private list using the steps listed below. Public lists can be easily subscribed to from the LISTSERV page. Click the list name you want to subscribe to, then, on the list's page, click the Subscribe or Unsubscribe link on the right side.

    Subscribing to a Private or Public List
    The steps below can be used for a private or public list. If subscribing to a private list, you will need the name of the list.

    1. Address an email to listserv@listserv.ubalt.edu and leave the subject field empty.
    2. In the body of the message, enter:
      subscribe listname Firstname Lastname

      where listname is the name of the list to which you want to subscribe, not the complete address of the list.
    3. Send the message.

    Note to all persons not affiliated with the University at Baltimore: By joining a list, you do so under your own ability; you and only you will be responsible for removing yourself from any list in the future. You will not be able to receive any help or support from the University at Baltimore if problems arise.

  • How do I unsubscribe from a list?

    You can unsubscribe from a public or private list using the steps listed below. Public lists can be unsubscribed from at the LISTSERV page. Click the list name you want to unsubscribe from, then, on the list's page, click the Subscribe or Unsubscribe link on the right side.

    Unsubscribing to a Private or Public List
    The steps below can be used for a private or public list.

    1. Using your subscribed email account, address an email to listserv@listserv.ubalt.edu and leave the subject field empty.
    2. In the body of the message, enter:
      signoff listname
      where listname is the name of the list to which you want to unsubscribe from.
    3. Send the message.

  • When trying to unsubscribe, why am I receiving a message that I am not subscribed under this address?

    The email address you're using to send the unsubscribe command is not the one that is subcribed to that list.

    When unsubscribing, you must send the command from the address that is subscribed. You will need to determine which email you subscribed under. The most direct way to figure this out is to open an email you received from the list, view the header information of the email, and look for the "Delivered-to" address. That's the email address you are subscribed under. 

    Once you identify that email address, you'll need to unsubscribe using that account.

  • How do I change my subscribed address?

    1. Using your currently subscribed email account, address an email to listserv@listserv.ubalt.edu and leave the subject field empty.
    2. In the body of the message, enter:
      change listname new-address
      where listname is the name of the list you're subscribed to and new-address is your new e-mail address.
    3. Send the message.

    If you are subscribed to multiple lists, you can update all your subscriptions by replacing listname with the wildcard *. Example: change * new-email@gmail.com.

  • How do I post a message to a list?

    Using your currently subscribed email account, send the email to listname@listserv.ubalt.edu and leave the subject field empty.

  • How do I logon the LISTSERV website?

    UB students, faculty, and staff logon using your UB email address and your netID password.

    All other LISTSERV users who do not have a UB netID and email address can visit this page to register for a LISTSERV site account.  

    NOTE: You do not need an account or to logon to subscribe to lists. The account allows you to access list archives and manage your subscription settings using a web interface instead of email commands.

  • What are list archives and how do I access them?

    List archives are a collection of past messages distributed to a list. Not all lists have archives. If a list has an archive, it can be accessed by the web.

    1. Go to the LISTSERV site and logon.
    2. Enter the list's archive web address using this format http://listserv.ubalt.edu/archives/listname.html.

  • How can I contact a list's owner?

    Send an email to listname -request @ listserv.ubalt.edu.

  • How do I switch to digest mode for list messages?

    1. Using your email account, address an email to listserv@listserv.ubalt.edu and leave the subject field empty.
    2. In the body of the message, enter:
      set listname digest
    3. Send the message.

    Note: not all lists offer the digest option. Contact your list owner if you want to know if it offers the digest mode.

  • Can I temporarily stop list mail delivery?

    Yes, you can suspend list mail delivery.

    1. To suspend mail delivery, address an email to listserv@listserv.ubalt.edu and leave the subject field empty.
    2. In the body of the message, enter:
      set listname nomail
      where listname is the name of the list you're subscribed to.
    3. Send the message.

    To resume mail delivery, send an email with the command "set listname mail."

  • Do I have to respond to the confirmation after I make a change?

    Yes, all confirmations must be completed within 24 hours. This is to ensure that you, the list subscriber, was the person who issued the command and it was a legitimate request.

    If you confirm using the web browser, you can click on the confirmation link one time only. After you click once, the confirmation is processed by the LISTSERV software and the confirmation code becomes void.

    If the 24 hour period has past or you are unsure if the confirmationw as successful, you can always reissue your initial request. There is no harm in repeating the process.

  • Some archive posts are unreadable. Why is this?

    If a list member's post was created in a "utf-8" character set, the archive will be garbled. An email program can often decode utf-8 messages, but the listserv software does not process decoding in archives.

    We cannot change the way the message appears in the archives but you can issue a command to have that email sent to you, based on the item number of the message.

    1. Go to the main archive page for the list, and click Search the Archives.
    2. Enter in the appropriate serch terms that relate to the date, sender's email, etc., and click Search.
    3. In the results, find the message you want sent and note the Item # in the left column.
    4. Send an email to listserv@listserv.ubalt.edu with this command: getpost listname item#

  • I followed instructions in one of the steps but it does not appear to be working. What should I do?

    Commands are unsuccessful because of typos or other incorrect steps. Repeat the process by following the directions precisely. There is no harm by repeating the process.